Orange County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.9 | 150,626 people · 96th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Orange County, NC falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.9 — 2320th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 96th of 100 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Orange County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 86
Economic Vitality 55.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 55
Consumer Credit Distress 22.8
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 49
Credit Card Delinquency 14
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 14
Structural Poverty 11.2
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 3
Legal Distress 8.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Orange County
Orange County, NC 37.9 Normal —
Person County, NC 68.5 Serious +30.6
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated +23.4
Alamance County, NC 58.7 Elevated +20.8
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated +16.4
Chatham County, NC 31.6 Healthy -6.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Orange County
Hancock County, IN 37.8 Normal -0.1
Armstrong County, PA 38.0 Normal +0.1
Linn County, IA 38.1 Normal +0.2
El Dorado County, CA 37.7 Normal -0.2
York County, VA 38.2 Normal +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Orange County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Orange County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Orange County.

CENTRE FOR HOME OWNERSHIP & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Hillsborough
919-322-8118
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
EMPOWERMENT INCORPORATED
Chapel Hill
919-967-8779
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in North Carolina →

Find an Attorney

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-662-7407

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Orange County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of North Carolina 1-866-219-5262
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy 704-376-1600
NC Equal Access to Justice Commission
Duke Law School Community Enterprise Clinic

Self-Help Resources

NC Courts Self-Help Resources — Foreclosure Official NC court system resources for foreclosure proceedings and borrower rights
NCHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and HAF information

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in North Carolina →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Orange County, North Carolina?

    Orange County has a County Distress Index score of 37.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,320th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 96th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orange County?

    The primary driver of distress in Orange County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Orange County compare to neighboring counties?

    Orange County (37.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Person County, NC (68.5); Caswell County, NC (61.3); Alamance County, NC (58.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Orange County's score of 37.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Orange County's CDI score?

    Orange County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Orange County?

    Orange County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 150,626 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.